Spring in Tokyo

While the spring 2017 ready-to-wear shows just wrapped in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, there’s still more across the world worthy of checking out. Cue Tokyo, the fashion capital known for cutting edge designs that mix tradition with futurism and eccentricity with simplicity, all while redefining typical styles and setting unique trends.

Spring 2017 was no exception for Tokyo Fashion Week. While the city’s Fashion Week schedule seems to change from season to season, there was still a strong sense of talent to be seen, though presented relatively quietly and straightforwardly.

We saw a variety of iconic womenswear styles like those shown at Hanae Mori Manuscrit and Yoshikimono, the latter presenting a series of traditional kimonos in unique fabrics and prints, ending the show with styling that made the pieces look entirely different altogether. Traditional Japanese dress was also explored at Miharayasuhiro, where designer Mihara Yasuhiro incorporated modern versions of kimonos and Buddhist robes, while painted tattoos referenced dragons and butterflies. Then there was the menswear-inspired, pristine tailoring seen at Mikio Sakabe’s show, subtly referencing the 70s, 80s, and 90s. That same perfected suiting was apparent at DressedUndressed, where designers Takeshi Kitazawa and Emiko Sato deconstructed a classic, office-friendly work wardrobe.

The actual menswear in Tokyo seemed stronger than ever this season. Also at DressedUndressed, the minimalist workwear was updated with voluminous jackets and coats, a style seen at a variety of Tokyo’s men’s shows. Similar styles were noticeable at Ethosens, where looks were upgraded by bold hues and prints. Pops of color reemerged at the Name. show, another one of the week’s standouts.

While Japanese fashion has a knack for minimalism, tailoring, and traditional references, we can’t deny its penchant for the eccentric and avant-garde. That was fully apparent at Plastic Tokyo, where fabrics were mix-matched and deconstructed, or at Discovered, where pops of neon added an extra jolt of energy to bold streetwear. Eccentricity was on full display at Mint Designs, too, as Nao Yagi and Hokuto Katsui drew inspiration from the diverse people and cultures seen on the New York City subways. This translated into a kaleidoscope of wild prints and colors, all blending together at once. Speaking of mismatched collections (and we mean that in the best way), Anne Sofie Madsen’s latest show in Tokyo mixed a variety of materials to create complex ensembles, referencing the Japanese design practice of wabi-sabi. A tale of defiant femininity, Madsen closed her show with a soundtrack that mashed up Khia’s “My Neck, My Back” with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Now that’s the boldness exclusive to Tokyo that keeps us coming back for more.

We tend to get caught up in the usual lineup of shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. But let’s not forget about all the talent to be seen across the entire world, especially in Tokyo.